Self-contained electric sharpening device for safety razor blades



April 19 1938. 1 c. HOBART ET A1. 2,114,348

SELF CONTAINED ELECTRIC SHARPENENG DEVICE FOR SAFETY RAZOR BLADES Filed March 2l, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l 7' s 6 36 40/ mmm/m 78 73 37 ATTORNEY April 19, 193s.

L. C, HoBART ET M l SELF CONTAINED ELECTRIC SHARPENING DEVICE FOR SAFETY'RAZOR BLADES Filed March 2l, 1954 Fig.- 4

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 34 l .mi/ENTOR:

Lou/s C. Hobart ATTORNEY.

April 19, 1938. L.. c. HOBART ET'AL 2,114,348

SELF CONTAINED ELECTRIC SHARPENING DEVICE FOR SAFETY RAZOR BLADES Filed March 2l, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 /04 F/g. 9 el l o8 INVENTOR- Logls C. Hobo/rf.

A TTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-CONTAINED ELECTRIC SHARPENING DEVICE FOR SAFETY RAZOR BLADES Application March 21, 1934, Serial No. 716,586

14 Claims.

This invention relates to electrically o-perated sharpening devices for safety razor blades. It is one of the principal objects of the invention to provide a device o-f this kind that is a complete,

self-contained, unit furnishing within itself the energy required for its operation. Another object is to make the device readily adaptable for economical manufacture by providing a construction employing a minimum number of parts. A further object is to make possible in a mechanism of this kind the use of standard small battery cells, as flash light cells for instance, in such a way as to insure the life of such cells over a considerable period of time and to accomplish this with a variety of constructions, all, however, em-

ploying more or less the same principles of operation. A still further object is to provide means whereby a safety razor blade is held automatically in proper contact with the sharpening members themselves. Still further objects will become apparent after a perusal of the following specication and a study of the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the invention are, respectively, described and shown.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one of the forms of the Sharpener;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken along the plane of line 2 2 in Fig. 1;

3 Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional View taken along the plane of line 3 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional View taken along the plane of line 4 4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end View of the Sharpener;

35 Fig, 6 is a vertical fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 6 6 in Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional View, similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification of the supporting means for the magnet;

40 Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View of another form of the magnet and co-acting operating parts, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken substantially along the plane of line 8 8 in Fig. 9;

45 Fig. 9 is partly a plan view of the same and partly a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane of line 9 9 in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is an end view of the same mechanism, its blade supporting structure being shown in 50 cross section fragmentarily along the plane of line ID I0 in Fig. 9.

Like characters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views and the following specification.

55 In the drawings, III is a housing, preferably made of bakelite or other suitable material, consisting of a substantially rectangular main portion II having a rectangular opening IIa at its top, and an enlarged end portion I2. The bottom of the housing I0 is open. End portion I2 has two substantially circular compartments I3 and I4 for the reception of battery cells. The roof over compartment I3 is provided with a, preferably, round recess I5 to form a well for a rouge or abrasive, while the roof over compartment I4 is bored out to receive a switch button IB having l0 a slightly enlarged head I1.

I8 is a base plate resting against inner ledges I9 somewhat above the bottom of the portion II of the housing IB, and is a bottom closure of l5 this portion of the housing. Base plate I8 and closure 20 are secured to the ledges I9 by screws '.ZI, provided with spacers 22 to keep them in spaced relation with each other. 23 is a closure V plate for the bottom of compartments I3 and I4, held against the housing with a screw 24, and 0 being provided with a plate at its inside, riveted thereto, to fit over the adjacent inner surface of the bottom closure 20, so that if screw 24 is unscrewed, this plate 25 can bev slipped out of engagement with closure 20 and the closure plate 23 can be removed, to form access tov compartments I3 and I4.

A coil 26 is wound upon a central core 21 having reduced end portions 28, adapted to t into end plates 29, 35, 3| and 32, the end portions 23 o being riveted to plates 29 and 32. The outer coil end plates 29 and 32 are provided with feet 33 and 34, having extensions and 35 secured to brass bushings 31 and 38 extending through and fastened to the base plate I8.

Ears 39 and 40 are bent upwardly from base plate I8 and are perforated to receive fulcrum pins 4I and 42. 43 and 44 are armatures provided at their lower ends with ears and 4S perforated 40 to receive fulcrum pins 4I and 42. A spring member 41 has upturned ends 48 and 49 which are riveted to the lower ends of armatures 43 and 44. Adjusting screws in base plate I8 bear against spring member 41 providing adjusting 45 means for the same and armatures 43 and 44. The upper ends of armatures 43 and 44 are provided' with sharpening members 5I and 52 having depending ears 53 and 54 suitably riveted to the armatures. The inwardly extending top surfaces fo of members 5l and 52 are inclined to an angle at 55 and 55 to act on the cutting edges of a safety razor blade 51.

A bridge member or plate 58 is secured to extensions 59 and 60 of end plates 30 and 3l. 6I 55 and 62 are dowel pins having reduced lower portions for suitably riveting them to bridge plate 58.

A make and break member 63 is secured to the base plate I8 by a rivet 64 while insulated therefrom by insulating washers 65. An adjustable point formed b-y a screw 66 through the member 63, is positioned to cooperate with the armature 43 for the interruption of the current. A member 61 is secured to the base plate I 8 by a rivet 58 in juxtaposition to member 63. 69 is an indenture in member 61 to cooperate with armature 44 to balance the action of the two armatures. It is obvious, of course, that for this member 61 a make and break member could be substituted similar in construction and function to member 63.

10 and 1| are battery cells located within, respectively, compartments I3 and I4. A strip 12 having a spring tension contact with the upper end of the battery cell 10 and passing downwardly besides the cell and in resilient contact therewith is riveted to the base plate I8, establishing electrical contact therewith. A strip 13 having a spring tension urging the head I1 of the switch button I6 upwardly, passes downwardly besides the cell 1| in resilient contact therewith and is secured to the base plate I8 by a rivet 14 while insulated therefrom by insulating washers 15. The battery cells 10 and 'II seat on either end of a spring member 16 riveted to the closure plate 23 to compartments I3 and I4, spring member 15 being bent upwardly at its end to press the cells upwardly against the roof of the compartments and conducting strips 12 and 13. 11 is a central electrode of battery cell 'I0 projecting from the cell downwardly to contact with spring member 16, while a central electrode 18 indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 3 projecting from battery cell 1| upwardly is adapted to contact with strip 13. It is clear that so long as switch button I6 is depressed, Contact is established between strip 13 and electrode 18, and as soon as pressure is released on the switch button I6, Contact is broken as strip 13 urges the button I6 upwardly.

One end of the coil 26 is connected by suitable wiring 19 with the foot of the make and break member 63 as by soldering or the like at 80. The other end of the coil is connected by suitable Wiring 8l with the foot of the strip 13 as by soldering or the like at 82.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The user moistens one of his fingers, rubs it slightly over the abrasive in well I5 and then passes his iinger over the inclined surfaces 55 and 56 of sharpening members 5| and 52 whereby a slight amount of the abrasive is left on these surfaces. The razor blade to be sharpened is then dropped through opening Ila of the housing I0 over the dowel pins 6| and 62 so that its edges rest upon the surfaces 55 and 56, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The electric circuit is then closed by pressing down upon the externally projecting end. of the switch button I6. This causes the strip 13 to contact with the electrode 'I8 of battery cell 1|, causing current to flow from electrode 18 to the strip 13, through wiring 8|, into coil 26. From the coil 26 current is conducted by wiring 19 to the make and break member 63 which, when contacting with the armature 43, permits current to flow to the base plate I8, the strip 14, the battery cell 10, the spring member 'i6 into battery cell 1| and thus back to the starting point.

It is clear that this current ow attracts the armatures 43 and 44 towards the core 21 and that when the make and break member 63 interrupts the current the spring member 41 forces the armatures away from the core, thus setting up a Vibratory motion of the armatures about their fulcrum pins 4| and 42. The sharpening members 5| and 52 travelling with the armatures are given a reciprocating rubbing action against the edges of the razor blade resulting in a sharpening process that continues so long as the user presses down upon -the switch button I6. At the same time magnetism is set up in the armatures and conducted to the sharpening members 5| and 52 which draws the razor blade rmly against their sharpening surfaces 55 and 56. Immediately upon releasing the pressure upon button I 6, the spring of strip 13 urges the button I6 upwardly, thus breaking contact between strip 13 and electrode 18 of battery cell 1|, and stopping the device.

In Fig. 3, the ears 39 and 40 of the base plate I8, if made of ferrous metal, form a path of iiow for the magnetic flux since the ears of the plate I8 contact directly with the ears of the armatures 43 and 44. Brass bushings 31 and 38 are provided for the extensions 35 and 36 of feet 33 and 34 of end plates 29 and 32 to prevent short circuiting of the magnetic ux with a ferrous base plate I8. In Fig. '7, however, we have shown a modification of this arrangement which permits the use of a non-ferrous base plate I8a to which feet 33 and 34 may be directly riveted without the brass insulating bushings. A flux plate |812, passing between, but not contacting with feet 33 and 34, provides ears 39a and 40a for the pivotal support of the armatures, and the plate |8b being of ferrous metal, and riveted to the base plate |8a, provides the necessary means of magnetic flow from the armature 43 to the armature 44.

We shall now describe the form of mechanism illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

is a bottom closure to the housing I0 which has been omitted in these figures to be able to illustrate the mechanism more clearly. Closure 85 corresponds to closure 20 of the form of device shown in Fig. 1.

A coil 86 is wound upon a central core 81 having reduced ends 88 adapted to be supported within plates 89. 'I'he lower portions of plates 89 are reduced in Width at 90 and have outwardly extending and oppositely disposed lugs 9| terminating in feet 92. A bridge member or plate 93 preferably of brass is riveted to the top of plates 89. 94 is a fiat steel strip at the center and across the top of plate 93. 95 are dowel pins having reduced lower portions for suitably rivetting them and with them the strip 94 to the bridge plate 93.

Fulcrumed about pins 99 disposed between lugs 9| are armatures 91 having inwardly bent lugs 98 to engage the pins 96 and assist in guiding the armatures between the lugs 9| of the plates 89. 'Ihe lower ends of armatures 91 terminate each in a narrow strip 99 which are drawn towards each other by a coil spring |00. The armatures 91 which are preferably made of soft steel are each projecting upwardly alongside the outside of plates 89 at |0| and are bent inwardly above the bridge plate 93 towards the steel strip 94, at a slight downward angle at |02, their eX- treme ends bent downwardly again at |03 to form surfaces |04 slightly spaced from the edges of the strip 94 and substantially parallel thereto. |05

are hard steel strips fastened to the top of the inclined surfaces |02 of the armatures 91 serving as sharpening members proper, the cutting edges of a safety razor blade 5l' resting upon them. |06 are small projections at the top of the bridge plate 93 acting as stops for the outward motions of the armatures 91.

|01 is a fiber base plate riveted to the bottoms of plates 89 at Illia. |08 is a plate, preferably made of phosphor bronze, fastened to the bottom of the base plate |01 by the usual form of eyelet rivet |09. The plate |08 is provided with elongated slots III! to straddle the downward eXtensions 99 of the armatures and is then bent upwardly to form make and break members I II to cooperate with armatures 91.

One end II2 of the coil 8S is connected to one of the eyelet rivets |09 and thus with the make and break members I, while the other end I I3 is connected with the foot of the strip 'I3 of the structure as shown in Fig. 6, the end I|3 being connected thereto in the same manner as the wire 8| in that gure. All other parts of the device. are substantially identical with the form explained in connection with Figs. l to 7.

The operation of the device shown in Figs. 8 to 10 is substantially the same as described in connection with the forms illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7. However, attention is particularly drawn to the fact that in the construction shown in Figs. 8 to l0, all air gaps are reduced as much as possible to facilitate the ready flow of the magnetic flux. In this manner the current consumption is greatly decreased. This is especially caused by the downwardly bent ends |03 of the armatures, presenting parallel surfaces |64 in close proximity to the steel strip 94 which results in an extremely short travel of the magnetic lines of force. 'Ihe magnetism which is thus set up also tends to hold the safety razor blade in close contact with the sharpening members |05 eliminating clasps or other means for forcing the blade against them.

While we have shown several forms of our invention embodying the principles of the invention, and modifications of some of their details, we do not wish to limit ourselves to the precise arrangements described and illustrated. We want it to be understood that various other changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principles or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim as new, is:

l. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing, battery cells and an electro-magnet within the housing in circuit with each other, armatures vibratorily mounted at each end oi the magnet, a make and break member in the said magnet circuit cooperating with one of the armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit, sharpening members carried by the said armatures adapted to support the cutting edges of a razor blade, guides for a razor blade and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery7 cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of a blade and the sharpening members.

2. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing having an opening at its top, battery cells and an electro-magnet within the housing in circuit with each other, armatures vibratorily mounted at each end of the magnet, a make and break member in the said' magnet circuit cooperating with one of the armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit, a bridge member over the. said magnet below the opening in the housing having means upon its top for guiding a razor blade, sharpening members carried by the said armatures adapted to support the cutting edges of the said razor blade, and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of the blade and the sharpening members.

3. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing, battery cells connected in series, an electro-magnet in circuit with the said cells comprising a core, coil, and end plates holding the core, a base plate, insulating inserts in the base supporting the said end plates, armatures vibratorily mounted upon the base plate at each end of the magnet, a make and break member in the said magnet circuit cooperating with one of the armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit and insulated from the said base plate, sharpening members carried by the said armatures in contact with the cutting edges of a razor blade, guides for a razor blade and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of a blade and the sharpening members.

4, In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing having an opening at its top, battery cells connected in series, an electro-magnet in circuit with the said cells comprising a core, coil, and end plates holding the core, a base plate, insulating inserts in the base supporting the said end plates, armatures vibratorily mounted upon the base plate at each end of the magnet, a make and break member in the said magnet circuit cooperating with one of the armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit and insulated from the said base plate, a bridge member over the end plates of the said magnet and below the opening in the housing having means upon its top for guiding a razor blade, sharpening members carried by the said armatures adapted to support the cuttingedges of the said razor blade, and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between an electro-magnet within the housing in circuit with each other, a base plate, armatures vibratorily mounted at each end of the magnet, a spring member fastened to the armatures and adjustably supported by the base plate urging the armatures away from the ends of the magnet, a make and break member in the said magnet circuit cooperating with one of the armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit, sharpening members carried by the said armatures adapted to support the cutting edges of a razor blade, guides for a razor blade and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of a blade and the sharpening members.

6. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housinghaving an opening at its top, battery cells connected in series, an electro-magnet in circuit with the said cells comprising a core, coil, and end plates holding i' fastened to the armatures and adjustably supported by the base plate urging the armatures away from the said end plates, a make and break member in the said magnet circuit cooperating with one of the armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit and insulated from the said base plate, a bridge member over the end plates of the said magnet and below the opening in the housing having means upon its top for guiding a razor blade, sharpening members carried by the said armatures adapted to support the cutting edges of the said razor blade, and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of the blade and the sharpening members.

7. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing, battery cells and an electro-magnet within the housing in circuit with each other, armatures vibratorily mounted at each end of the magnet, make and break members in the said magnet circuit cooperating with the armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit, the armatures being adapted to support the cutting edges of a razor blade, guides for a razor blade and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of a blade and the armatures.

8. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing, battery cells and an electro-magnet within the housing in circuit with each other, armatures vibratorily mounted at each end of the magnet, make and break members in the said magnet circuit cooperating with each of the armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit, sharpening members carried by the said armatures adapted to support the cutting edges of a razor blade, guides for a razor blade and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of a blade and the sharpening members.

9. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing, battery cells and an electro-magnet within the housing in circuit with each other, armatures vibratorily mounted at each end of the magnet, make and break members in the said magnet circuit cooperating with the armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit, the tops of the said armatures being bent towards each other, a ferrous plate interposed between the said tops of the armatures, the tops presenting flat surfaces to edges of the said plate and in close proximity thereof, sharpening members carried by the said armatures in contact with the cutting edges of a razor blade, guides for a razor blade and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of a blade and the sharpening members.

10. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing having an opening at its top, battery cells and an electromagnet within the housing in circuit with each other, armatures vibratorily mounted at each end of the magnet, make and break members in the said magnet circuit cooperating with the armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit, a bridge member over the said magnet below the opening in the housing having means upon its top for guiding a razor blade, sharpening members carried by the said armatures adapted to support the cutting edges of the said razor blade,

a ferrous plate upon the bridge member for reducing the gap between opposed ends of the armature but in spaced relation therewith, and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of the blade and the sharpening members.

11. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing, battery cells connected in series, an electro-magnet in circuit with the said cells comprising a core, coil, and end plates holding the core, an insulating base plate fastened to the bottoms of the said end plates, the said end plates each having lugs forming supports thereof, armatures vibratorily fulcrumed between the said lugs and connected by a` retractile spring, make and break members in the said magnet circuit cooperating with the said armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit, sharpening members carried by the said armatures adapted to support the cutting edges of a razor blade, guides for a razor blade and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of a blade and the sharpening members.

12. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing, battery cells connected in series, an electro-magnet in circuit with the said cells comprising a core, coil, and end plates holding the core, an insulating base plate fastened to the bottoms of the said end plates, the said end plates each having lugs forming supports thereof, armatures vib-ratorily fulcrumed between the said lugs and connected by a retractile spring below their fulcrum's, a strip fastened below the said base plate and extending upwardly at both sides outwardly of the said armatures forming make and break members therewith for intermittently breaking the said magnet circuit, sharpening members carried by the said armatures adapted to support the cutting edges of a razor blade, guides for a razor blade and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of a blade and the sharpening members.

13. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing, battery cells connected in series, an electro-magnet in circuit with the said cells comprising a core, coil, and end plates holding the core, an insulating base plate fastened across the bottoms of the said end plates, the said end plates each having lugs forming supports thereof, armatures vibratorily fulcrumed between the said lugs and connected by a retractile spring below their fulcrums, make and break members in the said magnet circuit cooperating with the said armatures for intermittently breaking the circuit fastened to the said base plate and wired to the said coil, a bridge member over the said magnet fastened to the tops of the said end plates and having means upon its top for guiding a razor blade, sharpening members carried by the said armatures adapted to support the cutting edges of the said razor blade, a ferrous plate upon the bridge member for reducing the gap between opposed ends of the armatures but in spaced relation therewith, and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of the blade and the sharpening members.

14. In a self-contained sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing, battery cells, an electro-magnet in circuit with the said cells comprising a core, coil, and end plates holding the core, an insulating base plate fastened across the bottoms of the said end plates, the said end plates each having lugs forming supports thereof, armatures vibratorily fulcrumed in the said lugs and connected by a retractile spring below their fulcrums, make and break members in the said magnet circuit for the said armatures fastened to the said base plate and wired to the said coil, a bridge member over the said magnet fastened to the tops of the said end plates and having means upon its top for guiding a razor blade, the tops of the said armatures being bent towards each other and adapted to support the edges of the. said blade, a ferrous plate upon the bridge member central of the said armatures for reducing the gap between the opposed ends of the said armatures, the opposed ends of the said armatures being bent over to present an increased surface directly to the sides of the said ferrous plate, stops for the outward travel of the said armatures, and means to energize the said magnet from the said battery cells causing a reciprocating action between the edges of the blade and the tops of the said armatures.

LOUIS C. I-IOBART.

KENNETH F. LEES. 

